


The Last One

by Keenir



Category: Man of Steel (2013)
Genre: Gen, passenger pigeons, the famous Martha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-21
Updated: 2013-07-21
Packaged: 2017-12-20 21:46:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/892256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keenir/pseuds/Keenir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kryptonians were like passenger pigeons, Clark decides.  Only one remained.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Last One

_My father Jor-El wanted me to be a bridge between the peoples of Earth and Krypton,_ Clark knew. _General Zod wanted a home for the people of Krypton he and my father had salvaged from the...incipient rubble? What's a good word for something that is about to collapse on itself? Besides_ condemned _, that is._

He was sitting in the last place anyone would look for him.

_But Jor-El knew Krypton was about to die, so how could I have been a bridge? And if I had convinced Zod to not terraform the Earth, that would have left his entire crew to develop the same powers I have, the same powers Zod was developing towards the end._

The old cold dead wood was no more or less comforting to Clark's skin than sun-warmed boulders, the open sea, or the polar ice. His clothes didn't really change things - he was just invulnerable to things like that. Just like he was to bullets and falling buildings.

_Once there was a civilization centered on Krypton, spreading out through the - galaxy? Universe? And then, almost overnight, their numbers plummetted. Pockets of survivors here and there simply couldn't exist without the rest. And then there was only a small handful left. And then there was only one left. His name was Zod._

"Sir, the bookstore is closing in five minutes, you really do have to leave."

Clark nodded. "Sorry, I was a little lost in thought."

_The same thing happened here on Earth. Only they were called Passenger Pigeons. Huge flocks of them covered the sky for days on end, according to the reports. And then, almost overnight, they were on the edge, down to a small flock. And then there was only one left. Her name was Martha._

Clark thinks about going to see the cage where Martha had lived her last days, breathed her last.

_I, Clark Kent, son of Jonathan and Martha Kent, am that bird._


End file.
